Charging your smartphone? Beware! You can lose your money to 'Juice Jacking'

Juice Jacking! You might have heard about this term many times but its not about stealing anyone's glass of juice, its a kind of a cyber attack and at stake is your personal data and even your hard-earned money. The trick is simple to execute and innocent people fall victim very easily as they do not know how the scam is being carried out. 

What is Juice Jacking? 

There are hundreds of ways through which your data can be stolen. Now, it is possible through USB too! Yes, once you connect your device to the charging point with the help of USB, hackers install a malware or copy all the sensitives data from your smartphone including the most sensitive of usernames and passwords.

HERE ARE 5 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT JUICE JACKING!

1) It is kind of a cyber attack which takes place with the help of a USB cable installed at public places like  airports, cafes, bus stands, shops, malls etc.

2) There are two ways of Juice Jacking, Installing Malware or Data theft

a) Installation of Malware: With this, hackers will plant the malware in your cellphone which can track your GPS. In short, they can stalk you!

b) Data theft: Once the USB is connected, hackers steal your data and get access to your personal data too. 

3) Hackers use third party hardware components which are designed to crack the security and can get access to the connected devices. They install these components in public charging stations.

4)) While charging your phone, you may not realise about this attack because the USB cords  will charge your phone and will transfer data at the same time.

5)) The best way to avoid these kinds of attacks is not to use public charging stations. It is better to carry your own power bank or keep your phone charged. Because of any emergency if you have the use the public charging station then lock the phone and unlock it when once you remove it from charging point.